3. June 2024
Matthias Wagener
From the heart of Texas to the vibrant streets of New York City – by bike! This spring, we (Maren and Matthias), the management duo behind Vast Forward, embarked on a personal experiment.
Those who have followed us for a while know: we lived and worked on our sailboat VAST for nearly a decade already.
At the end of March 2024, we swapped the steering wheel for bike wheels. The goal: “New York and Back” – ride there in spring and return in late summer, each way covering nearly 4,000 kilometers. “VAST Floating” became “VAST on Wheels”.
Cycling up to 100 kilometers a day, carrying only the essentials, spending nights in tents, guest rooms, or hotels, depending on the possibilities – and running a business on the side. Some might wonder: why?
In short: because we want to see if and how it works. Fortunately, at Vast Forward, we’ve been working 100 % remotely since 2015, we can fully rely on each other as a team, and we’ve built efficient structures for working together in an atmosphere of trust. We measure ourselves by goals rather than presence and align our work with our lives – not the other way around. VAST on Wheels is another step in this ongoing experiment and a good trial: How does remote work function on a bike?
Plus, we are combining the “New York and Back” trip with a good cause. Specifically, two good causes. For every (actually cycled) kilometer, one dollar goes to two organizations close to our hearts: Ocean Conservancy is dedicated to protecting our oceans, aligning perfectly with our love for and life on the open sea. The League of American Bicyclists, very fitting for this experiment, advocates for safer and more accessible bike paths in the US, helping more people explore the country sustainably by bicycle.
For us, cycling is a second great passion besides sailing. On their first major tour “Lisbon and Back”, we already tested remote work on a bike instead of a boat. The ride through the US South and along the East Coast brings new challenges: the 6 hours time difference with the team in Europe, the significantly longer distance, and some stretches that cannot be called particularly bike-friendly.
We have now completed the first part of our tour: after cycling a total of 3,551 kilometers, we arrived in the Big Apple at the end of May. Now, we’re exploring New York City on foot – the bikes need a break. 😉
It’s a good time to reflect and review the past two months. There are many topics we want to talk about:
Wie bleibt man remote und radelnd möglichst grün und wie steht es in den Staaten eigentlich um das Thema Plastik? (Spoiler: Sehr schlecht!)
Wie sind wir mit Team, Kund*innen und Netzwerk in Verbindung geblieben und was sagt das Vast Forward Kernteam zum Experiment?
Was ist auf der Tour in Bezug auf die kulturellen Unterschiede zwischen den USA und Deutschland aufgefallen und wie waren die Erfahrungen mit Locals?
Where did we as a team need to adjust our structures for this tour, and can we derive advice from that for other entrepreneurs?
When distances are long and there are no alternatives: to what extent are US highways suited for cyclists, and what stood out in different states?
There are of course many other topics, so we have a lot to discuss and report: you can look forward to a new blog post series where we share our insights and learnings. For those already curious, it’s worth checking out the VAST Floating YouTube channel, where you can find vlogs of the various stages from Texas to NYC.
So: Stay tuned – on your bikes, get set… go!
